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JOHN M. BRUTON AWARDED MEXICAN ORDER OF AGUILA AZTECA
HIGHEST HONOR MEXICO CAN BESTOW ON NON-CITIZEN

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 1, 2005 – Mexican President Vicente Fox awarded John M. Bruton of Manatt Jones Global Strategies, LLC, the Mexican Order of the Aguila Azteca, in recognition of John’s “active and permanent interest in the enhancement and strengthening of commerce and investment amongst Mexico and the United States of America,” Manatt Jones Global Strategies, LLC, announced today. The medal is the highest honor that the Mexican Government can bestow upon a foreign national.

President Fox’s official decree appeared in Diario Oficial de la Federacion, the official bulletin of the Government of Mexico. Instituted in 1933, the award is also referred to in English as the Aztec Eagle. Previous notable American recipients of the award include President Dwight D. Eisenhower, former Texas Governor Ann Richards, United States Senator Christopher Dodd, Cesar Chavez, David Rockefeller, Leonard Bernstein, and several United States ambassadors to Mexico.

“The Aztec Eagle recognizes John’s 30 years of tireless work to promote trade and investment between Mexico and the United States,” said Manatt Jones’ Co-Chair James R. Jones, former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, who received the Aztec Eagle in 1997. “He is skilled at making trade and investment occur on a large scale. The honor that the people of Mexico have bestowed on John reflects his dedication and effectiveness.”

Mr. Bruton, who is a Senior Managing Director at Manatt Jones, stated: “I am deeply humbled by this award. I remain committed to promoting even greater international trade and investment between these two great economic powers.” Mr. Bruton is an international strategic consultant who focuses on business facilitation with U.S. corporations overseas, and assists foreign corporations and governments in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in the United States.

Prior to joining Manatt Jones, Mr. Bruton worked for 30 years for the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico as Executive Vice President and CEO, overseeing the Chamber’s offices in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Under his leadership, the Chamber became the largest American Chamber of Commerce abroad, representing more than 85 percent of U.S. direct private investment in Mexico. At the Chamber, he led a large professional staff, and was responsible for working with the Chamber's volunteer corps of more than 3,000 executives serving on the Chamber's 18 active committees.

From 1981 to 2002, Mr. Bruton was the publisher of Business Mexico, Mexico's largest English-language business magazine, produced by AmCham Mexico. He was active in formulating trade and investment policies and coordinating high-level discussions with government and private-sector officials from Mexico and the United States as well as the representatives of the Chamber. He represented the American Chamber before numerous groups and organizations.

Mr. Bruton was active in the successful promotion of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with both the U.S. and Mexican private and public sectors, coordinating the efforts of the American Business Presence in Mexico in its dealings with both the Mexican and U.S. governments.

Mr. Bruton earned his B.A. from Duke University in History and Economics. He is the recipient of the Eagle of the Americas' Award, Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America for outstanding contribution to Hemisphere Trade and Investment, the John C. Langley Outstanding Leadership Medal of the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico for outstanding contributions to the U.S./Mexico business community, and was listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World, 2003. He is fluent in Spanish.

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Manatt Jones Global Strategies, LLC, develops and implements strategies to expand clients' businesses and facilitate their effective competition in global markets. Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, provides legal and consulting services to domestic and international clients through its nearly 300 legal professionals from offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, Palo Alto and Sacramento, Calif.; Washington, D.C.; and Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico. For more information, visit www.manattjones.com and www.manatt.com.